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2d ago

Opening Statements Begin in Federal Trial of Milwaukee Judge Accused of Aiding Immigrant’s Courthouse Evasion

Jurors will decide whether Hannah Dugan acted corruptly or followed courthouse policy when federal agents sought to arrest a defendant outside her courtroom.

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This courtroom sketch depicts Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Hannah Dugan, seated at center wearing reading glasses, in court as jury selection in her trial begins Thursday, Dec. 11, 2025 in Milwaukee, Wis. Adele Tesnow via AP
Executive director of Voces de la Frontera Christine Neumann-Ortiz speaks at a protest in support of Milwaukee County Judge Hannah Dugan on Monday, Dec. 15, 2025, at the Milwaukee Federal Building & U.S. Courthouse in Milwaukee, Wis. Angela Major/WPR
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Overview

  • A 14-member jury was seated last week and the trial opened Monday, with prosecutors planning roughly 25 to 28 witnesses over about a week.
  • Prosecutors allege Dugan told agents they needed a judicial warrant and directed Eduardo Flores-Ruiz through a nonpublic jury door; he was arrested outside after a brief pursuit and was deported in November.
  • Dugan has pleaded not guilty, remains suspended from the bench by order of the Wisconsin Supreme Court, and faces up to six years in prison if convicted on both counts.
  • U.S. District Judge Lynn Adelman denied a bid to dismiss on judicial-immunity grounds, and he has excluded politically charged social media posts about Dugan’s arrest; federal court rules bar recording inside the courtroom.
  • The case has become a national focal point in President Donald Trump’s immigration enforcement push, drawing protests and raising broader questions about courthouse arrest practices.